Check the First screenshots of Rayquaza in Pokémon GO and Learn how to Catch It!

Following hot on the appearances of its fellow Legendary Pokémon originally from the Hoenn region, Rayquaza is now appearing atop Gyms in Pokémon GO.

The Sky High Pokémon is the first Legendary Dragon-type Pokémon available in Pokémon GO. It’s a tough Pokémon to catch, but its powerful attacks are sure to be valuable in the battles to come.

Rayquaza can be caught only with the Premier Balls you earn from defeating it, so you’ll need your Pokémon to perform well in battle to maximize your chances.

You can take on Rayquaza even if you’re not high level or your Pokémon aren’t the strongest around, but you’ll have an easier time if you prepare.

Check the official guide below to training Pokémon in Pokémon GO to strengthen your team to take on Rayquaza.

pokemon go screenshot of the legendary rayquaza profile

pokemon go screenshot of the legendary rayquaza registered to pokedex

Official tips and tricks to successfully defeat and catch the Legendary Hoenn Pokémon Rayquaza in Pokémon GO

Following hot on the appearances of its fellow Legendary Pokémon originally from the Hoenn region, Rayquaza is now appearing atop Gyms in Pokémon GO. The Sky High Pokémon is the first Legendary Dragon-type Pokémon available in Pokémon GO. It’s a tough Pokémon to catch, but its powerful attacks are sure to be valuable in the battles to come.

Rayquaza can be caught only with the Premier Balls you earn from defeating it, so you’ll need your Pokémon to perform well in battle to maximize your chances. You can take on Rayquaza even if you’re not high level or your Pokémon aren’t the strongest around, but you’ll have an easier time if you prepare. Check out our guide to training Pokémon in Pokémon GO to strengthen your team, and then read on for some tips.

Suggested Pokémon

The Dragon- and Flying-type Rayquaza can dish out heavy damage to almost any Pokémon you deploy against it. It may know powerful Dragon- or Flying-type Fast and Charged Attacks, and you’ll need to be wary of the Rock-type Charged Attack Ancient Power, too. Be especially cautious if you encounter Rayquaza during windy weather. It can’t create its own strong wind in Pokémon GO, but as a Dragon- and Flying-type Pokémon, it’ll perform better in battle when it’s windy out. But it may be more powerful if you do manage to catch it.

Rayquaza is tricky to plan against because the Pokémon that best exploit its weaknesses don’t resist its attacks. Dragon-type and Ice-type Pokémon are notably fantastic on offense, but neither will have an advantage on defense. Fairy-type and Rock-type Pokémon provide the best mix of offense and defense. Don’t forget that Rayquaza’s Dragon type negates the weakness to Electric-type attacks most other Flying-type Pokémon have.

Ice-type Pokémon will deal the greatest damage to Rayquaza because both Dragon-type and Flying-type Pokémon are weak against Ice-type attacks. If you caught the Legendary Pokémon Articuno, consider starting out the battle with it. Other Ice types will also dish out damage at a rate unmatched by Pokémon of different types—most notably Cloyster, Lapras, Jynx, Piloswine, Sneasel, and Walrein. These Pokémon will be even more effective if it’s snowing. These Pokémon are weak against Rock-type attacks, so diversify your team against a Rayquaza that knows Ancient Power.

A Rayquaza that knows Dragon-type attacks will struggle against Fairy-type Pokémon. Unfortunately, there aren’t many powerful Fairy-type Pokémon available, so it may be tough to take advantage of this weakness. A Gardevoir that knows Dazzling Gleam is a capable ally for this battle if you’ve already powered one up. Most Trainers looking for a Fairy type will need to rely on Clefable instead, which is best relegated to battles against any Rayquaza that knows both Dragon Tail and Outrage.

You should roll out with Rock-type Pokémon against a Rayquaza that knows Flying-type attacks. A Golem that knows Rock-type attacks is a great help once again, and its resistance to Ancient Power makes it stronger yet. The ferocious Tyranitar’s high stats make it another great asset in this battle if it knows Stone Edge. After those, any other Rock-type Pokémon that know Rock-type attacks are solid choices to fill out your roster.

Dragon-type Pokémon are risky choices. Rayquaza is weak against Dragon-type attacks, but its own Dragon-type attacks will also be super effective against your Dragon-type Pokémon. Dragonite and Salamence will be robust on offense because of their fantastic stats, but Rayquaza’s Ancient Power, Dragon Tail, and Outrage will prevent them from being very tenacious. A Kingdra that knows Dragon Breath and Blizzard is also a worthy choice for this battle.

Kyogre is one of the best solutions here. It can deal supereffective damage with the combination of Dragon Tail and Blizzard, has otherworldly stats, and it isn’t weak against any of Rayquaza’s attacks. Mewtwo remains a reliable option if you have one available, but it’s usually impressive damage won’t compare to most Ice-type Pokémon for this encounter. Steel-type Pokémon resist all of Rayquaza’s attacks, but none except Metagross deal enough damage back to be much help in the race to knock Rayquaza out before time expires.

Stick to exploiting Rayquaza’s weaknesses, and save a few Max Revives to use during battle if you don’t have a large group of other Trainers helping out.

A Long Fly Ball

You won’t get many Premier Balls to catch Rayquaza once you’ve defeated it, so make each one count. Use a Golden Razz Berry before each throw. (You can stock up on them beforehand by defeating other Raid Bosses.)

The odds of capturing Rayquaza are greatest while the target ring is small enough in diameter to score Nice, Great, or Excellent Throws, and throwing Curveballs can improve your chances further. But work within your abilities—if you don’t think you can hit Excellent Curveballs reliably, aim for Nice or Great Throws rather than risk missing the target ring completely.

You may waste your Premier Balls if your target is moving around when you throw them. Wait for Rayquaza to start acting up and for the target ring to disappear while it’s a size you’re comfortable throwing into, then time your throw so that the Premier Ball lands as the target ring reappears.

Legendary Pokémon are tough to catch, so don’t be discouraged if Rayquaza gets away the first time you defeat it. Stock up on useful items like Max Potions and Max Revives and try again later. Good luck with your Legendary Pokémon adventures, and remember to check back at Pokemon.com/Strategy for more Pokémon GO, video game, and Pokémon TCG tips.